Clock mechanism



Aug- 17, 1943 H. K. sANDELL 2,327,319

' CLOCK MEGHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 CLOCK MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1940 2 SheeS-Sheefl 2 l??? Z// ,age/ily Mw/z deff @yf-@MMM Patented Aug. 17, 1943 UNITED S'I.`'I'I'.Sy PATENT OFFICE l v 2,327,319 i CLOCK lmciauuvlsmi` Henry K. Sandell, Sister Bay', Wis. Applieation Jamaica, 1940, serial NoS 316,114

" 'z claims. (ci. :ss-2st invention relates in general to aA clock mechanism and more particular to such a mech anism ofA the 'electrically operable type.

An important object of the invention is to per vide a durableV and econonfiicatlV clock mecha/msm and an efeient control therefor which cooperate to produce a long lasting and efficient clock mechanism economically.

Other vobjects willbe furtherA apparenti when the invention ils/.better understood from the following descriptiom which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings discloses an embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: Y f Figure -1 is a front elevational View of a clock embodying the invention.

y Fig.. 2 is a pian section taken substantially on line 2--2 in Fig. i, showing details of construction andthe arrangement of the partsr Y Figs is an end elevational view of the mechaxii-sm only of the clock; shown in Figr 1 and asviaewe'd from theleft in that. figure.V

Fig; 4 is an elevational view showing the back of the mechanism shown in the clock in Fig. 1.

. Fig` 551s a sectional view takenV substantially cm. line 5 5 in Fig, 3 illustrating details of con- Y struction and operation of the clock mechanism. Fig. 6 is a phn section taken substantially on,

line 6-6 in Fig. 5 further illustrating details o1 cmstruction Y Pig. 7 is a. vertical section taken substantially on line 'I-l in Fig. 3 illustrating the drive oonnection; and,

Fig.V 8 is a section takensubstantially on line'.

8-8 in Fig. 2 illustrating the with the governor.` 1

To illustrate theinvention I have shown a mechanism assembly II having a governor I2 attached thereto and mounted in a case I3, dry cell batteries I4 for actuating the mechanism, a mercury switch I5 for controlling operation and amaster switch I6 for protection and permitting transportation' or manipulation of the clock.

vThe mechanism assembly II includes frame plates 2I and 22 suitably spaced apart and secured together by means of a. plurality oi spac-V ing posts 23 riveted Yto the plate 2| and registeringthe plate 22 with respect thereto. Suitable screws 24 are provided to secure the plate 22 to drive connection the posts 23. An electrically operable intermit` ten-t motion mechanism is supported between the plates 2| and 22for'aotuating an indicator shaft extending across between and through the plates 2l andV 22. ,The indicator shaft illustrated in Fist, 6i `and 7 .is of sectional construction to facilitate setting' of the hands without; disturbing the operation; of the. mechanism and includes a driving section 25, a driven Section 26, and a U shaped connecting yolreV 2l. The driving section 25, together With a suitable' derive disc 28 il:` riveted to une leg oi the yoke andv extends through the plate 22 to receive a. drive link 29 by means of which the shift may Deruta-ted.

The driven section 28 ot the indicator shaft is rotatably seated in an, end of the driving section 25 Yand extends in axial alignment therewith through the' other leg of the yoke 21 and through. the frame plate 2t for receiving and carrying indicators or the like..

The section 25 is frictionally driven froml the section 25 through z collar 3| secured theretoby a meansoi a: set screw 32 and primed' into frictionzl' engagement with a; leg, of the yoke 21 by a helical compression spring 33 seated against the end of theshatt section 25.

The proieeting end: ot the section 26 is key formed to receive a minute hand or indicator 34. Fiss. 1 2, and 6. and anl hour hand or delayed indicator 35 may be similarly secured to a, sleeve 32 rotatably'minimizedv on the shaft section 26 and carrying a gear 3J.. The gear' 31 attached to the sleeve si is rotated by a pinion 32 pressed onto the straft section 25 and through an idler acm; 39,. pivoted to'rotaite adjacent the Section 26 on a bea-ring pin n and carrying a pinion 4I engaged with the gear 31. The above mentioned gears and pinions are proportioned to effect a reduc-f tion of twelve to one where the indicator 35 is to indicate hours, Y

Therindicator shaft is driven in a clockwise direction by a tension spring, 42 engaged with a' suitable adjusting bracket $3 and with a bell-r crank lever M which is arranged between the drivje dim: 28 and the plate 22 and pivoted for rotational movement on` the shaft section 25l as shown-in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. A dri-ve pswl- 45 pivotalfly attached to the lever M by means of a. shoulder rivet M in position to engage sultable ratchet teeth formed in the periphery of the drive disc 28 forms al one way drive con-- nection between the spring 42 and the indicator shaft.

Atensionspring 41 yieldingly connecting the pawlf with. the lever 44 as shown in Fig, 7

l engages the powl with the ratchet teeth on the drive disc r28 and' permits backward movement of ,the pawly and a suitable yielding pawl 48 secured tothe plate 22 and engaging the ratchet teeth of the dise 28 prevents eountenclockvlse. movement thereot and of the indicator shaft.

To sustain the action of the spring 42 it is Vessential that lever il be periodically'reset to restore tension to the spring and for uniformity ofV operation it is desirable to confine thisreset movement to a relatively short arc as indicated in Fig. 7. YTherein the lever is shown Yin solid lines and in dotted lines, each illustration indicating an extremity of movement.

Accordingly electrically operable means is provided for periodically-resetting Vthe lever Vlll- 'to' restore tension tothe spring 2." This means 1 includes a U shaped electromagnet 5l and an armature 52 thereior pivotally supported for:

oscillatory movement between pole terminals 53 and Eil Vof the magnet 5i.

bracketsk E5 and 55 attachedto the plate 2 2 and to the magnet by meansof screws orthe l like. 'The 'brackets 55 and 5t are formed ofy nonmagnetic material and the bracket ''cooperateswiththe plate 22 'toform pivot bearings forfa shaftv El carrying: the armature- 52. l. An operating vpin '58 extends'irom the armature v52 to engagel a rloifurcated end 55 of the lever'll for coordinating operation thereof. j

' VTo .control operation of the electromagnet I have shown the mercury tube switch lmounted and controlled so. that: thesmake andbreak wiil Iboth berapid o'r suddenrso` as to minimize ,"normal deteriorating effects.Y `Spaced spring clampsftl are suitably secured, suchY as by Welding,"to`a wire frame 62S which isshaped to pivot in Ysuitable aligned apertures formed in the frame plate 2l and in a support bracket E3 n'iountedonthel plate 22.

` The wire frame 62 isshaped soV that *when` azmercury switch tube suchas the tube l5 is engaged in the spring clamps Si 'andl the frame is held perpendicularly as shown in Fig. '7, the

Vpivot points of the frame-will belocated .at

one side or the other of the axis of the mercury tube'. Due to this arrangement the greater portion of the -weight of the' tube lois carried V' on the left -sideof the pivot points'of the Vframe 62, as indicated `in Figs. 6 and 'iyand upon release ofthe frame 62 the tuberesponds to Vgravity Vand Ymoves in a counter-clockwise direction about theV pivot points ofthe frame 62 to the position shown in Fig. 5'where further movement is'prevented-by a' stop pin Gli mounted on the frame plate Zl-and'engaging an upwardly extended portion 65 ofthe frame 52. The mercury switch l5 illustrated of"'liqui`d mercury (it, in one endl of'whi'ch a pair of contact elements 6G are support'edinV parallel relationship `and 'so as to be bridged by'themercury'only `when the tube is arranged in the lframe 62y as shown in Fig. 5. Fine; spiral or flexible wires (il and 6! are attached to thecontact elements B' and connected in circuit with the batteries lil as will be later described. A latch device is provided for normally holding theV switch l5 in the position shown in Fig. 7 and this device is arranged so as to be disengaged by the lever il@ whenY inthe position shown by dotted lines.

To provide such av latch device I have shown a wire 'il extending through and having' a Y bearing in thecore ofthe electromagnet 5|:

One end` ofthe wire 'il `is=twice bent -at right angles' to forma laterally disposed extension 'i2 arranged to extend over orV in the pathof movement of a nger 'i3 formed on or eXtend-'- ingv from the lever ill. The other end of the lhe magnet? 5l is supported in operative relationship by means of is an elongated hollow glass bulb, containing a quantity wire 'H is bent to extend at a right angle tol f the bearing portion thereof' and its extremity is bent to form a depending hooi; 'lil for en-V gaging the wire frame. 62 to normally hold the switch l5 in the ofi position as shown in Figs. 4, 6, and .7. A stop pin l5 mounted in the plate 2l limits the upward movement of the hook M y vas shown in Fig. 5.

A relatively nne wire spring lirwhich is welded or otherwise secured to one ofthe spring clamps 6l is arranged to extend beneath Yor Vin the' vpath oi movement of the finger 'i3 of the lever @liso as to yieldingly urge the switch l5 rin a clockwise direction or toward the normal position upon 'downward movement ofthe lever lill.

'--The governor l2 may be any suitable-device 4'or'.ineclianisrn''capable oi chronometrically re- '.tardingo'r controlling the rotary movement of the indicatorshait, such as a balance wheel Y governor therefor, I'VhavevshowneJ plurality :of

escapement mechanism or a pendulumlmechanism ofthe type now in common use in watches and clocks,yand to'provide such-a mechanism I have shown apartly' assembled watchmechanism in Figs. -2, 3, and, includinga driveV spindle 8lV rotatably supported in a frame 82 of the type in common use in Watches and-operably'conneoted jto a; balance wheel escapement mecha-l nism indicated at 83 through a diagrammatically indicated geartrain Vso that rotation of,v the spindiet! Vis subject to the retarding'orcontroiling action of the balance wheel escapement mech-Y anism exactly the-samev as the hand carrying v stem or" a watchor clockis governedor controlled by the same or a similarmechanism. 1

A laterally extending arm :Silis rigidly secured to the projecting end of the Yspindle iii for-engagmountingposts-ii radially-spaced and rigidly mountedfon the frame plate 22 and havingset` `,screws t@ threaded therein and arranged to yrigidly secure the frameoSQ inoperative relationshipas shown in Fig.i4.

The case i3 illustrated secured by meansof screws 88,. a dial 8S, a glass iront plate Si secured againstv the-frame ill-,by

means "of a slip ring 92 andthrough Whichfthe dial and indicators Vmay be observed; and a suitable back Yclosure-orv cover 93. w

While the clock maybe actuated roman external power source through suitable,A con-- ductors and connections, the batteries illill'u'stratedY are oi the dry 'cellstype sothatth'e clock` may be manipulated-without-injury and dees not require electrical connections. l

Two vcells of thejbattery are shown connected'- in 'series and a wire 95 connectsy the-'batteriesE through the wire'i'i and a properlyinsulatedV terlminall 96 to the s'witch l5. Ihe'wire 68 extend-V ing from the switch=l5- is similarly'connected Vthroughawire lll to the windings-of the electro'-;

,magnet '.land-these j windings are `vsuitably grounded,`4 either tothe core ofthe-magnet or the frame plates; A complete andoperable electricall includes anornamental shell 8@ havinga header or frame 8lsecured f therein to whic'hthe mechanism .Hf-may beV and the pin 50 circuit may then be formed by grounding the batteries to the mechanism or to the case I3.

Means is provided for protecting the clock in the event of manipulation or transportation against such damage as may be caused by a continuously closed electrical circuit such as may occur when the clock is inadvertently tilted to such an angle that the mercury 66 will constantly remain about the contact elements 66 of the mercury switch |5. To accomplish this I have shown the masterswitch |6, Figs. 1 and 2. This switch is formed of a body l of suitable insulating material secured to the bottom wall of the case |3 in an upright position, having a cup or well |03 formed in the top thereof and having electrodes |04 and |05 molded therein as inserts and to terminate at remote or widely spaced positions in the cup |03 so that a small body of mercury |06 contained in the well |03 will bridge the electrodes only when the clock is in a substantially level position. A cover or cap |01 may be applied to retain the mercury inthe event of extreme tilting.

The electrodes |04 and |05 are exposed near the base of the body |J| and a suitable wire |08 connects the electrode |04 with the mechanism while a wire |09 similarly connects the electrode |55 with the batteries I4 so that the master switch Hi is included in and dominates the electrical circuit above described.

In operation the spring 42 drives the indicator sha-ft in a clockwise direction through the pawl 45 engaging the ratchet teeth formed on the drive disc 23 until the iinger 13 of the lever 44 lifts the hooked end 14 of the wire out of holding engagement with the wire frame 62, thus releasing the switch l as shown in Fig. 5 so that it may respond to gravity and shift from the open circuit position shown in Fig. '7 to the closed circuit position shown in Fig.v 5. y

coincidental with the switch releasing movement cf the lever 44 the armature 52 of the electromagnet 5| is rotated about the shaft 51 in a counter-clockwise direction and to the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of its connection with the lever 44 through the bifurcated end 59 thereof carried by the armature 52.

At the instant the switch l5 ifs closed the electrcmagnet is energized by means of the electrical circuit above described and a flow of magnetic flux is established between the poles 53 and 54 of the electro-magnet. This pulls the armature E2 into alignment with the poles 53 and 54 or to the position indicated by dash and dot lines in Fig. 'l and consequently returns the lever 44 to the solid line position shown in that figure.

In returning to the starting position the pawl 45 carried by the lever 44 slips over the teeth of the drive disc 28 while retrograde movement thereof is prevented1 by the holding pawl 48 and pressure is applied to the spring 76 by the inger T3 of the lever 44 until the applied pressure exceeds t le unbalanced Weight of the switch I5, thereafter the switch |5 snaps up to engage the frame 62 thereof under the hook 14, opening the electrical circuit to permit the spring 42 to continue or repeat its driving action.

The above described operation is repeated at uniform intervals in the manner of an intermittent motion mechanism and may be adjusted to requirements by varying the number of ratchet teeth in the drive disc 28 and the form or arrangement of the hook '|4 accordingly.

The adjusting bracket 43 is preferably arranged for adjustment relative to the top of the plate 22 so that the tension of the spring 42 may be adjusted upon occasion and to permit this a slot is provided through which a mounting screw ||2 may extend. Adjustment is eifected by extending the bracket until the proper tension is applied after which the screw |2 is turned in tight to secure the bracket.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by letters Patent is:

1. For association with an electrically operable clock mechanism, a mercury switch for determining operation thereof supported adjacent said clock mechanism in unbalanced relationship and for rotary movement about an axis of rotation located parallel to and adjacent the longitudinal axisk thereof, said mercury switch being biased to rotate on the axis of rotation thereof into circuit closing relationship when free, restraining means whereby said mercury switch is normally held in open circuit or inoperative relationship, and periodically operable release means arranged for actuation by the clock mechanism whereby said restraining means is periodically actuated to permit closing movement of said switch, said release means being arranged to intermediately restore said switch to open circuit relationship in engagement with said restraining means.

2. For association with an electrically operable clock mechanism, a mercury switch for determining operation thereof supported adjacent said clock mechanism in unbalanced relationship and for rotary movement about an axis of rotation located parallel to and adjacent the longitudinal axis thereof, said mercury switch being biased to rotate on the axis of rotation thereof into circuit closing relationship when free, restraining means whereby said mercury switch is normally held in open circuit or inoperative relationship, and periodically operable release means arranged for actuation by the. clock mechanism whereby said restraining means is periodically actuated to permit closing movement of said switch, said release means acting through a yielding connection with the switch to intermediately restore same to engagement with the restraining means in open circuit relationship.

' HENRY K. SANDELL. 

